Sifter device and means for attaching sifter and other plastic members to flat sheet members or cartons



Dec. 8, 1959 J, c, uc 2,916,191

SIFTER DEVICE AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SIFTER AND OTHER PLASTIC MEMBERS TO FLAT SHEET MEMBERS 0R CARTONS Filed 0012. 30, 1956 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1959 J. c. BUCHEN 2,916,191

SIFTER DEVICE AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SIFTER AND OTHER PLASTIC MEMBERS T0 FLAT SHEET MEMBERS OR CARTONS Filed Oct. 550, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' jasm/ 52/! BY @Z United States Patent "ice SIFTER DEVICE AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SIFTER AND OTHER PLASTIC MEMBERS TO FLAT SHEET MEMBERS OR CARTONS Joseph C. Buchen, Atherton, Califl, assignor to Leslie Salt Co., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application October 30, 1956, Serial No. 619,320

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-655) This invention relates to an improved sifter device. More particularly, the invention relates to a dispenser of the sifting type for shaking comminuted materials from a container. Still more particularly, itrelates to the combination of a carton with a sifting device and to a method for attaching this sifting device to the carton. It also relates broadly to a new method in plastics for securing two members to each other and particularly for securing a plastic member to a paper sheet or carton.

The present invention is an improvement over the sifting device shown in my copending application Serial No. 597,759, filed July 13, 1956, now abandoned. The improvement resides in the way the sifting device is attached to the carton. In my former application the sifter was attached to the carton by first punching through the carton a hole provided with some keying indentations, inserting a thermoplastic sifter through the hole and, finally, heat fusing a ring of spur-like portions on the thermoplastic sifter to the carton top or wall. The inserted sifter had a flange bearing against the outside of the carton wall and a series of spurs bearing against the inside wall of the carton, the spurs having been pushed out from the plastic while it was flowable. The keying indentations were necessary to prevent the sifter from turning relative to the carton, and they did this because some of the plastic material flowed into the indentations.

While the sifting dispenser of my earlier-filed application was very satisfactory, and while the method of the former application was quite feasible, still there were difiiculties and serious problems inherent in that method of attachment.

For one thing, since the entire sifting unit was thermoplastic, not just a portion of it, whenever the dies happened to get somewhat hot or whenever the dies moved too slowly during the fusing operation, parts of the device that were not intended to flow, did flow. In many instances this flow took place in the relatively thin bottom portion and the device was irreparably damaged and could not be used, because all that had to happen was for a portion of the thin bottom plate to melt, and then the inner disc-like member that carried the sifter openings could not be turned. As a result, the number of rejects tended to be high and there had to be careful inspections to insure that the devices going on the market would work.

In addition, the heat-fusing method would not work if the device was too cold. In instances where the dies were not hot enough, there would be no heat-fusing, and if the device were installed in the carton, it would fall out later on; so inspection had to be carried on here, also, to insure against this eventuality.

Also, use of the heat-fusing method required the keying indentations referred to, which meant that the carton itself had to be aligned with the keying punch.

One object of the present invention is to solve the problems caused by the heat-fusing method by providing a method for the cold application of a dispenser unit or Patented Dec. 8, 1959 similar plastic member to a piece of paper such as a carton top or sidewall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cold method for application of the plastic member to a carton wall and the like, especially useful in applying plastic dispensers of the general type described in my copending application Serial No. 597,759, filed July 13, 6, now abandoned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sifting device or the like securely attached to a carton wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plastic member with a series of sharp projections which, on the application of pressure, cut their way through a paper carton or the like and lock it into position against rotational forces, without having to align the plastic member to the carton or even having to align the carton with a punch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cold upsetting method for securing the projections to the carton after they have cut their way through the carton wall.

Broadly speaking, the invention adds to the dispensercup member described in the aforementioned application Serial No. 597,759 a series of triangular sharp projections around its periphery beneath and inset from the flange. When the plastic member is inserted through an opening just large enough to accommodate the cups periphery, these sharp triangular projections are able to cut their way through the paper wall around the opening. After the triangular projections have cut their way through, an upsetting tool is used to force portions of the projections radially outwardly so as to upset them and clamp them over the inside or lower surface of the carton wall and hold the dispenser firmly in place.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of the preferred embodiments.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective from above of the upper portion of a carton, carrying both a conventional pouring spout and a sifter embodying the principles of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the carton lid, with the sifter of Fig. 1, secured in place and turned to its closed position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same portion of the carton lid, with the sifter partially secured in place according to the method of the present invention. The projections have forced their way through the wall but have not as yet been upset, so this is not the final stage assumed by the sifter.

Fig. 4- is an enlarged view in section along the line 44 in Fig. 2 and Fig. 9.

Fig. 5 is a greatly enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 3, showing one of the triangular projections around the peripheral edge of the sifter-cup member and how it has cut its way through a portion of the carton wall.

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation and partly in section showing a dispenser in the position shown in Fig. 5, with an upsetting die descending upon it.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the upsetting die fully descended and having upset the projection.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the results of the operation of the upsetting die in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view similar to Fig. 3, with the device shown with the projections fully upset.

While, with important exceptions, the dispenser 10 herein is generally like that shown in my copending application Serial No. 597,759, filed July 13, 1956, and while that application gives a complete description of the structure and operation of the dispenser, a brief review thereof will be given to enable the reader to grasp some of the basic ideas without having to refer to that patent application. However, he is referred there for a detailed consideration of them.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, a siftertype dispenser unit 11) is mounted in the lid 11 of the carton 12 with the body of the dispenser extending down through a circular opening 13. The dispenser 10 comprises a plastic cup or support member 15 and a plastic closure member 16 that fits into and is rotatable in the cup member 15.

The cup member 15 has a flat, disc-shaped bottom portion 21), preferably provided with a pair of diametrically opposite openings 21, 21 each extending across a sector portion thereof. Between the openings 21 are closed sector portions 22, 22 that serve as closures for the sifter openings 40. A generally axially extending cylindrical or annular portion 23 connects the bottom to a thin radially extending annular flange 24 that projects beyond the upper surface 17 of the carton top 11. The fianges upper surface 25 and lower surface 26 are both radial.

The outer periphery of the axial wall portion 23, before assembly of the sifter 10 into the carton 12, is provided with a series of triangular projections 27. These projections 27 embody a "very important element of the present invention and will be described in detail after finishing the general description of the dispenser unit 10. A generally conical or tapered wall portion 28 connects the bottom 21 with the axial wall 23 and performs the function of guiding the cup 15 into the opening 13. The inner periphery of the annular flange coincides with a cylindrical portion 31 that is joined to a lower and widerdiameter cylindrical portion 32 by a sloping portion 3-3, to provide a cup that receives the member 16.

The closure member 16 comprises substantially a disc with a lower surface 34 that is substantially flat, (with an exception to be mentioned soon), and lies flush against the upper face of the bottom portion 20. The upper face 35 of the closure member 16 lies essentially flush with the fianges upper surface 25 but is provided with a pair of recesses 36, 36 on opposite sides of a diametrically extending rib 37, which is also flush with the flange surface 25. Through the upper surface 35 are two series of dispenser openings that occupy sectors adapted to overlie sectors 21 and 22 alternately.

The rib 37 is used to rotate the closure member 16 in the cup member 15 so as to open and close the dispenser openings 40. When the openings 40 and 21 are aligned, in whole or in part, salt can be shaken out through them. When the openings 40 are closed over the portions 22, the openings 21 are simultaneously closed and no salt can get out.

The two members 15 and 16 are assembled together in a snap-fit by virtue of the already described inner peripheral portions 31, 32 and 33 of the cup 15 and the structure of the outer periphery of the closure member, which provides an upper cylindrical portion 41 of just sufiiciently smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion 31 to rotate in it, a narrow circumferential or peripheral rib 42 of larger diameter than the cylindrical portions 31 and 41 and adapted to fit into the larger diameter cylindrical portion 32, when snapped in below the sloped portion 33, the elastomeric nature of the plastic making the snapping-in possible. The lower end 43 of the periphery of the member 16 is preferably tapered inwardly to aid in centering it in the recess of the cup 15, so that all that need be done is to drop the member 16 into the cup 15 and snap it closed. The smaller diameter portion 31 keeps the rib portion 42 from falling out, while the relative sizes of the peripheries provide clearance for rotation.

By providing a pair of short, cylindrical studs 44 (Fig. 3) depending from the lower surface 40, and by providing an arcuate portion 45 as a radially inner part of each opening 21 with stop portions 46, 47, means are provided to limit the rotation of the closure member 16 between a fully opened and a fully closed position.

The operation, in general; of the device is apparent. The rib 37 is used as a handle to rotate the inner cup member 16 relative to the cup member 15, to rotate the opening 40 between a fully closed and a fully opened position, according to whether it is desired to dispense salt or to close off the opening.

The important difference between the device of this invention and that of my copending application Serial No. 597,759, filed July 13,, 19576, is in its, attachment to the carton 12. As stated before, a series of small, sharp, triangular projections 27 form an integral part of the axial periphery 23 of the cup 15, with the axial surface in between successive projections normally smooth. The projections 27 are preferably shaped so that the outer angle is relatively sharp and may, for example, be a right angle. In horizontal cross-section each projection 27 comprises a triangle, preferably isosceles; in a typical example its inner or lower side 51 is approximately Wide and sides 52 and 53 slightly shorter. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the projections 27 are generally prismatic having a height greater than that of the axial wall 23 but shorter than the full axial length of the cup 15. A portion 54 (see Fig. 6) between the projections 27 and the tapered wall 28 is left as an open space to aid in the upsetting operation.

Upon insertion of the cup 15 into the round hole 13, the tapered wall 28 centers the cup 15 properly and the triangular prismatic projections 27 come into engagement with the paper. Being sharp and having pressure applied to them by a suitable die member 55 while another die member 56 is retaining the paper carton 12 in position, the projections 27 cut their way through portions of the carton wall 11, forming a small triangular opening 57 with some little stress 58 in the carton wall itself, which helps to pinch the carton wall 11 against the triangular projections 27. The formation of these openings 57 and the pinching action of the paper results in effectively preventing any tendency of the dispenser 10 to rotate in the opening 13, so that it is held steady for turning of member 16.

The mere insertion up to this step would not be sufiicient to retain the dispenser 10 in the carton 12, once salt or something else were shaken from it, because the weight of the salt, etc., would tend to force it back out the way it came in. To prevent this from happening, the present invention provides a novel offsetting process, in which a die 60 is brought down against the top face 61 of the triangular prisms 27 The die 60 is so constructed as to limit the movement of the plastic and, even though cold, forces the plastic to flow outwardly in a cold upsetting and flowing process from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 7. It should be emphasized that this operation is carried on at normal room temperature, so that there is no tendency whatever for any part of the plastic to flow but that where pressure is applied. It is a cold pressure upsetting process, not a hot flowing process relying on the thermal qualities of the plastic. Even though the plastic itself is normally of a rather stiff and firm kind, such as polystyrene, application of pressure in this manner has been found effective to perform this upsetting and it is believed that applicant has found, thereby, a novel process for applying plastic a1ticles to paper and cartons as well as an important specific process for applying dispensers of this kind to paper salt containers.

When the upsetting has been completed, the projection 27 looks in side elevation as shown in Fig. 7 and in plan as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. An overlapping hat portion 65 has been formed, which assumes a general pentagonal shape due to the two forward faces 66 and 67 of the triangle that have been carried out and to the inwardly sloping sides 68, 69 near the base portion 70 itself, since the movement was done in one direction.

Hat portions 65 are provided at every projection 27, since all of these are made simultaneously, and eflectively lock the cup 15 to the carton and prevent any retraction of the dispenser 10' from the carton wall 11, without actually tearing open the carton wall. Therefore, the connection is as strong as the axial tear strength of the carton material.

The installed dispenser unit 16 is therefore held both against rotation relative to the carton 12 and against being pushed one way or another out of the carton wall 11. Axially, it is held on one side by the hat portion 65 and on the side direction by the flange 24. When in position, operation as a dispenser is achieved simply by holding the rib 37 and turning the dispenser member 16 in the appropriate rotational direction so as to open or close the dispenser openings 40, whichever is desired.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relatest many changes in construction and widely difiering embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

A dispenser for comminuted material, comprising a 25 2777616 container with a top wall of paper-like material having an opening through the material thereof, a plastic cuplike member having a generally flat bottom wall with at least one open area therethrough, a cylindrical wall portion and a radially extending outer annular flange overlying said container topwall, said cylindrical wall portion extending inwardly through said top wall opening and having an annular series of prismatic projections therearound, each prismatic projection extending axially inwardly from said annular flange and radially into the material of said top wall around said opening, a hat-type flange on the inner end of each projection engaging and compressing the material of said top wall against said annular flange around said prismatic projections; and a rotatable closure member mounted in said cup-like member with sitter openings selectively registering with said open area according to the relative rotational position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,435,586 Collette Nov. 14, 1922 2,026,839 Krause Jan. 7, 1936 De Shazor Jan. 15, 1957 

